
Psychological Withdrawal From Overstimulation
Learn why overstimulation withdrawal mimics depressive symptoms.
The dimming happens gradually.
Nothing switches off.
Sensation thins over time,
almost unnoticed.
Seeing this progression
prevents panic
and helps pacing return.
Normalize gradual dulling with DojoWell.
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This is the "Gradual Dimming" of desensitization. Unlike a sudden crash, this is a slow dulling of your sensitivity to the environment. It happens when the Reward & Pursuit system is constantly "on" but never reaching a landing. The world feels less vivid because your brain is trying to save energy by ignoring what it perceives as constant background noise. Recognizing this as a slow structural shift helps you identify the need for rest.
Look for the "novelty hunger." If you find yourself constantly looking for "sharper" or "louder" experiences to feel the same level of engagement, you are likely experiencing dimming. Your system is asking for higher contrast because its baseline is too high. The remedy is not more light, but more darkness—entering periods of low stimulation to allow your internal "vision" to recover its natural depth and range.